Alerce Andino National Park

The Alerce Andino National Park

This is a very beautiful, little-known national park and home to the Andean Larch tree or ‘Alerce Andino’. This tree is the second oldest on earth (after the American bristlecone pine) and some of the examples you will see today are over 3,000 years old. They grow incredibly slowly (about 1mm per year) so don’t expect vast trees but you can expect fascinating old growth rainforest. Be careful getting to this one as it isn’t well signposted from the main road.

You take the road from Puerto Montt west, basically towards the Carretera Austral. You should follow signs for the village of CORRENTOSO which is at the edge of the park.

It is about a 45km drive from Puerto Varas and will take 1 hour and it will bring you to the park guards’ station where you will find information and advice.

For a very pleasant and relaxed day, you can try the following short walks. Take a picnic lunch with you. Even if it is raining you can find shelter underneath the trees.